Duterte sacks Bacolod police chief, 4 other policemen

The President accuses the Bacolod City chief of police and four of his men for involvement in illegal drugs. (FILE PHOTO)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 13) — The President has fired Bacolod City Chief of Police S/Supt. Francis Ebreo and four other police officers for alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

In a statement Sunday, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said President Rodrigo Duterte fired Ebreo during his speech in a private event at the L'Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City.

"In your involvement in drugs and making the people of Bacolod miserable, I am relieving and dismissing you from the service as of now, Senior Superintendent Francis Ebreo," Duterte said Saturday.

He also laid off four officers identified in the statement as Police Superintendent Nasruddin Tayuan, P/Supt. Richie Yatar, Senior Inspector Victor Paulino and P/SSupt. Allan Macapagal. The officers have been reassigned to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU), as per the Metro Manila police office.

The President ordered these men to report to him at 2 p.m. on Monday. Duterte accused the officers of working with drug syndicates.

"But these persons that I have mentioned have something to do with the interest of the city... you are protecting, or you are in cahoots with the drug syndicate in the city," he said.